Automatic control for irrigating systems



July 26, 1932. E. G. MUNZ AUTOMATIC CONTROL FOR IRRIGATING SYSTEMS Filed Aug. 15, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet Ow Q A Patented July 26, 1932 PATENT OFFICE EIMEB G. IUNZ, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN AUTOMATIC CONTROL FOB IBBIG ATING SYSTEMS Application filed August 15, 1987. Serial No. 218,115.

This invention relates generally to irrigating systems and refers more particularly to automatic control mechanism for such systems.

A primary object of the invention is the provision of a time controlled mechan sm or automatically controlling the operation of a .set of valves whereby certain sections of land may be irrigated for a specified length of 10 time, said mechanism also being adapted to both turn each valve on and off at a predetermined time.

With these and other objects in'view, the invention resides in the novel features of construction and combination and arrangement of parts as more fully hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of my invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the timing mechanism;

Figure 3 is a front elevation thereof;

Figure 4 is a detail view of one of the valves.

In the accompanying drawings, the numeral 1 designates a battery of valves for controllin the flow of water to the diflerent sections a garden or a piece of land which is to be irrigated. These valves may be of any suitable type and in the present instance I have provided a set of valves such asthat indicated in Figure 4 of the drawings wherein'2 indicates the inlet communicating with the main supply pipe 3, and 4 the outlet leading from the valve. Each valve is provided with a reciprocating rod 5 upon which is mounted the valve plate 6 arranged to engage the seat 7. To the upper end of the rod 5 is secured a cam follower 8 which is engaged by the cam 9 keyed to the cam shaft 10.

As will be noted the cam shaft extends longitudinally of the valves, having at spaced intervals the cams 9 for operating the valves. The cams are so arranged on the cam shaft that the rotation thereof will consecutively open and close each valve.

To one end'of the cam shaft is secured the large gear wheel 11 meshing with the pinion 12 mounted on the motor shaft 13. 14 designated diagrammatically a motor for rotat- .21 and aving a ratio of 12 to 1 therewit so ring 23 integrally connected thereto and suit- .ly connected to the gear 21 and meshing with ing the shaft 13 and pinion 12 while 15 indicates an adjustable timing device for controlling the operation of the motor. The whole arrangement is such that by setting the t1mmg device, the first valve may be opened for a specified length of time and then closed while the next succeeding valve is being opened for a definite period of time and S(t) (in until all of the valves have been opera e Referring now to Figures 2 and 3 there is d sclosed. in detail the adjustable timing \dev1ce 15. This mechanism comprises a frame 16 within which is suitably mounted a clock 17 having a shaft 18 projecting therefrom whlch is adapted to make one revolution every two hours. Suitabl connected to this shaft and axially aligned t erewith is a shaft 19 carr 'ng a pinion 20 meshing with a ear 0 that the gear 21 makes one complete revolution every twenty four hours.

Preferably a sleeve 22 is mounted on the shaft 19v and is provided with an annular ably keyed to the shaft 19. The sleeve 22 is adapte to carry a suitable contact device 24 consisting of a double set of contact disks 25 and 26 spaced apart by means of the spacing member 27 Each disk is provided with one 80 contact point 28 projectin from the peri hery thereof and arrange to engage eit er one or the other of the contacts 29 or 30 projecting upwardly from the base of the frame 16, once during each revolution of the disk from which it projects.

As will be noted the end portion of the sleeve 22 is screw threaded for receiving the thumb nut 31 which is screwed upon the shaft 19 after the ring 32 and spacer 33 have been placed thereon. By tightly screwing the thumb nut on the shaft the contact disks are. securely clamped against relative movement on the sleeve 22 and when it is desired to change the relative positions of the points 28 it is onl necessary to unscrew the nut and unclamp t e disks.

The shaft upon which the gear 21 is journalled also carries the small gear 34 integrala gear 35 of equal size thereto, the arrangement being merely for the urpose of offsetting the shaft 36 to clear t e contact device 24. As shown this shaft 36 besides carr ing 6 the gear 35 also su ports the disk 37 an the sleeve 38. The dis 37 is keyed to the shaft 36 to rotate therewith, and is calibrated for the twenty four hours of the day. The sleeve 38 is loosely mounted on the shaft 36 and is provided with an indicator 39 having the return bent portion 40 constitutin a pointer for the calibrated surface of the isk. Projecting from the sleeve is a contact arm 41 adapted for engagement with a contact member 42 secured to the frame 16.

Suitabl keyed to shaft 36 is a member 43 against w 'ch the rear end of the sleeve 38 is ada ted to abut, while a thumb nut 44 is providzad for securely clamping the sleeve to the shaft for rotation therewith. By loosen- 7 ing this nut 44 the indicator and the contact arm 41 may be set at any position for the twenty four hours and then clamped in position by again tightening the nut.

Referring now to Figure 1 there is diagrammatically disclosed the several circuits connecting the timing device and the motor. The motor shaft 13 has suitably mounted thereon a rotary switch 45 having the segmental portions 46 and 47 separated from one another, the segmental portion 47 bein electrically connected to the contact member 29 and the segmental portion 46 to the contact 30 by means of the conductors 48 and 49 respectively.

Leading from the contact device 24 is a conductor wire 50 connecting the same to the motor, while extending from the contact arm 41 is a wire 51 connecting with the wire 50 as shown. There is also a conductor 52 extending from the contact 42 and connecting the conductor 50 while positioned in the conductor 50 is a switch 53 which is adapted to be opened by the pin 54 engaging the contact arm 55. The pin 54 is mounted on the gear wheel 11 and the arrangement is such that the pin will engage the arm 55 once during each revolution of the gear. It should be stated that one complete revolution of the gear will open and close each valve consecutively and that the pin is so positionedon the gear that the switch will be opened after the last valve of the set has been closed. It should also be stated that the disks and 26 are always arranged so that the contact points on one set alternate with the points on the other set whereby after a point on the set 25 engages the arm 29, one of the points on the other set 26 will engage the arm and the next engagement will be by a point on the set 25 contacting with the arm 29, and so on. The reason for this arrangement will be presently set forth during the description of the operation of the device.

Leading from the motor is the wire 56 leadin to the war supply while the wire 57 lea s from this sup y and has a sliding contact with the switc segmental portions 46 and 47.

In operation, with the switch 53 open, the segmental portion 47 in electrical contact with the source of supply, and the contact arm 41 in engagement with the arm 42 (these last contacts having been reviously set to engage each other at a pre 'etermined time) no operation of the motor will take place until one of the oints 28 engages the contact arm 29 at which time the current will flow from the source of supply through the segmental position 47 conductor 48 contacts 28 and 29, conductors 50 and 52 to the contact arms 41 and 42 and then through 51 to the motor. The motor shaft will then be rotated and carry with it the switch 45 revolving the segmental portions 46 and 47. Just as soon as the segmental portion 47 becomes disengaged from the sliding contact of the lead 57 the circuit will be broken shutting down the motor. However, the pinion 12 will have been rotated sufficiently to move the gear 11 and open the first valve. At the same time the pin will have become disengaged from the contact arm closing the switch 53.

It should be noted that the contacts 41, 42 and 55 of the switch 53 are in paralled so g that either may complete the circuit throu "h the motor when the contact points 28 on t e disks 25 and 26 make contact with the arms 29 and 30 respectively. It will therefore be apparent that just as soon as the switch 53 is closed, it will be unnecessary to complete the circuit through conductor 52 and 51 and that these latter conductors are only used in the starting operation of the device.

After the first operation of the motor the positions of the segmental portions will be reversed, with the segmental portion 46 engaging the sliding contact of the lead 57. Therefore the circuit will remain brokenuntil a further rotation of the contact device will bring the point of one of the disks 26 into engagement with the contact arm 30. This will close the circuit through 57, segmental portion 46 conductor 49 arm 30 and conductor 50 to the motor which Will again be energized and rotated until the segmental portion 46 moves out of contact with the sliding contact of the lead 57. When this occurs the circuit will again be broken and remain so until closed by one of the contact points 28 of the disks. This operation will be repeated until the gear 11 has completed a revolution at which time each valve will have been opened for a certain period of time points 28 continue to contact with the arms 29 and 30 the circuit will still be opened, and

the motor will not be energized until the con tact 41 again engages the arm 42, whereupon the complete operation just described will again ta e place. It will of course be understood that the disks 25 and 26 can be rearranged to suit the convenience of the operator so that one valve may be opened for a half hour or more while another valve may only be opened for a minute or so. It-will also be ap arent that any number of valves may be used as the relative sizes of the ear 11 and pinion 12 may be changed to ta e care of the number of valves in the set. Likewise an and 26 may be provide for the efiicient operation of the device.

In view of the fact that the disk 37 revolves once every twenty-four hours the sleeve 38 ma. be rotated on the shaft 36 relative to the dis and clamped in any desired position for permitting the contact 41 to engage the arm 42 at any predetermined time. It will therefore be apparent that I have provided an adjustable timing device whereby a set of valves may be automatically opened and closed for a specified length of time, the timing device also being capable of starting the o eration of the valves at any predetermined tlme of the day. What I claim as my invention is 1. In combination, a series of valves, means for operating said valves including a gear, a motor for rotating said gear, a timing device for controlling the operation of said motor, a switch in the motor circuit havin a contact arm, and a pin projecting from said gear for engaging said armto open the motor circuit once uring the rotation of said ar. 2. In a device of the character described a series of valves, means for operatin said valves including a motor, a timing evice including a clock operated shaft, a switch actuated by said clock shaft for initially said s aft for successively opening and closing the motor circuit to actuate said valves, and means for o nin the motor circuit after the actuation of t e last valve of the series.

3. In a device of the character described, a series of valves means for successively operating said valves including a gear, a motor for rotating'said gear, a timing device for successively opening and closing the motor circuit, a switch in said motor circuit adjacent said gear, and means carried by Said gear for actuating the switch to open said motor circuit once during the rotation of said ar.

4. a device of the character described, a series of valves, means for successively operating said valves including a gear a motor for rotatin said gear, a timing evice ineluding a c ock operated shaft, a switch actunumber of disks y (ated by said clock shaft for initialliy closin the motor circuit, means controlle by sai shaft for successively opening and closing the motor circuit to actuate said valves, and means controlled by said gear for opening the motor circuit after the actuation of the last valve in the series.

In testimony whereof I aflix m si ature.

I ELMER closing the motor circuit, means controlled by 

